Electricity ~ Tips for Staying Safe:

PECO, An Exelon Company, Sponsor of "Benjamin Franklin: Glimpses of the Man," offers these tips for staying safe around electricity. Benjamin Franklin studied electricity, and is quite famous even today for his kite and key experiment with lightning. We must always remember that Ben could have been seriously injured during that experiment. It is never a good idea to be careless with something as powerful as electrical energy!

Electricity has the power to light lamps that help us see at night and fuel heaters that keep us warm in winter, but it is important not to get in electricity's way because it can harm you. Here are a few safety tips to remember:

1. Never play with electrical cords, wires, switches, or plugs.
2. Stay away from fallen power lines. Tell an adult if you see a fallen line.
3. Never use a hairdryer or play an electrical radio or television near a bathtub or sink.
4. Before you climb a tree, look up. If a power line is nearby or touching, stay away from the tree.
5. Never touch anything that runs on electricity when your hands are wet.
6. Fly kites and model airplanes in a wide open field or park—never near overhead electrical wires.
7. Never climb utility poles or electrical towers.
8. Stay away from substations and transformers (green boxes).